When you think about artificial intelligence (AI), you may imagine typing in questions to an online chatbot—but the role of AI in cancer care is far more transformative. In cancer care, AI tools analyze large amounts of detailed information to uncover patterns and provide insights that support both research and patient care.
However, at Capital Health Cancer Center, AI is deployed thoughtfully, with a focus on clinical governance, privacy protection, patient consent and physician oversight. These principles ensure that leading-edge tools are used to improve care, maintain safety and prioritize patients’ trust.
Nikhil Thaker, MD, MHA, MBA, chair and medical director of radiation oncology and medical director of the NCI Community Oncology Research Program at Capital Health, is double board-certified in radiation oncology and informatics, putting him at the intersection of AI and cancer medicine. Dr. Thaker is excited to share how Capital Health harnesses the power of AI to deliver research-informed, patient-centered care that benefits not only patients at the Cancer Center but also those in community settings.
Elevating Cancer Care Through Responsible AI Use
AI in health care shares some similarities with consumer AI, Dr. Thaker notes, but it also has fundamental differences. Although some tools share similarities with consumer technology—for example, large language models for processing information—AI in health care is subject to more rigorous standards and evaluation.
“The AI tools we use in health care may look like consumer applications on the surface, but they are built specifically for clinical environments,” he says. “At Capital Health, every AI system we use is carefully vetted for security, privacy and regulatory compliance. And, just as importantly, physicians maintain oversight at every stage to ensure AI complements rather than replaces clinical expertise.”
By combining advanced analytics, strict privacy protocols and a human-centered approach, Capital Health Cancer Center ensures that AI is seamlessly integrated into clinical workflows. This allows oncologists to work more efficiently and focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality, evidence-based care to their patients. Let’s look at three ways AI tools are enhancing cancer treatment at Capital Health.
1. Analyzing Data to Prioritize Findings
One area where AI algorithms excel is recognizing patterns in language. Similar to the large language models that underlie chatbots, healthcare AI is great at sifting through large amounts of information—such as radiology reports.
“The goal is to make sure potentially important findings are flagged quickly, especially when follow-up or coordination across teams is needed,” Dr. Thaker says. “This helps us move faster and more reliably when something requires attention.”
At Capital Health, AI-powered tools help ensure potential risks aren’t overlooked. For example:
- Azra AI helps identify concerning findings, such as nodules, in radiology reports. Rather than reading the images, Azra analyzes the text of imaging reports using advanced language processing. The goal is to make sure potentially important findings are flagged quickly and don’t get overlooked, especially when follow-up or coordination across teams is needed
- Harrison.ai (formerly known as Annalise.AI) analyzes head CTs and chest X-rays, evaluating 12 findings every 90 seconds—a task that would take humans far longer. This rapid analysis prioritizes critical findings, letting doctors focus first on the most urgent cases. The result? Improved efficiency and, more importantly, patient safety.
These tools are more than time-savers—they’re vital safeguards that enhance diagnostic accuracy, prevent delays and ensure no critical detail is missed.
2. Streamlining Workflows
In addition to clinical support, AI also assists doctors with tasks that could be described as clerical or managerial. This frees up oncologists to focus on cancer care rather than searching through files.
“We use secure, healthcare-specific large language model platforms,” Dr. Thaker explains. “Tools like Doximity’s DoxGPT help answer clinical questions, summarize charts and analyze uploaded documents. They also assist with drafting letters or care summaries, all within a secure and compliant framework.”
3. Putting the Patient First
At the heart of Capital Health’s use of AI is a commitment to keeping the focus on patients. AI tools don’t just improve technical workflows; they also make patient care more personal and human.
That’s where ambient AI tools like Doximity’s Scribe come in. With your permission, this tool listens to your visit and automatically drafts clinical notes for your doctor. This frees up your doctor to give you their full attention and ensures no important detail is missed.
“What I find valuable is how this captures the nuance of what patients say,” Dr. Thaker says. “People don’t speak in bullet points—they tell stories, describe how symptoms affect their lives and sometimes share concerns indirectly. Ambient AI helps preserve that context more faithfully than traditional dictation or typing during the visit.”
Looking to the Future: AI for Cancer Research
In addition to its benefits for patient care, AI is a powerful tool for cancer researchers seeking new, more effective cancer treatments.
Predictive models based on machine learning are being used to identify prostate cancer biomarkers to help with earlier detection and weed out false positives. One AI-based study showed the potential of specific biomarkers in urine to predict with high probability the presence and grade of prostate cancer.
AI also shows promise in predicting how lung cancer and pancreatic cancers will respond to particular treatments. It can auto-generate radiation treatment plans and augment how doctors analyze medical images—all staples of precision medicine.
“Within radiation oncology, we’re beginning to use AI to assist with auto-contouring organs at risk and to explore faster radiation treatment plan generation,” Dr. Thaker says. “This work is still very early, but it has the potential to improve efficiency and consistency while allowing clinicians to focus more on clinical decision-making.”
The Bottom Line
At Capital Health Cancer Center, AI supports physicians, enhances safety and drives research that improves patient outcomes. By maintaining firm standards for governance, privacy, consent and collaboration, the team ensures that AI fulfills its promise as a valuable tool, not a replacement for expert care.
“At Capital Health, I’m especially excited about applied AI tools that are embedded directly into clinical workflows that solve real, everyday problems,” Dr. Thaker says. “When AI is used thoughtfully, it can help ensure that patients receive timely, consistent and evidence-based care regardless of where they are treated.”
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